R.G.K. Gudgeon, Chairman
During the latter part of 2000 it came to the attention of the Heritage Trust that certain documents relevant to North Craven, and which were believed to have come from the Settle area, were on sale in the locality.
The committee after inspecting the various documents and deeds for sale, felt, not without some misgivings, that it would be good use of the Trust's finances to ensure that these articles remained in public hands and any possibility of their disappearance into private ownership prevented. Therefore documents as follows were purchased for a sum just exceeding £1,500:-
1. Purchase of land in Austwick by William Banks of Orcaber. 1760
2. Articles of Agreement for the prosecution of felons in Clapham / Newby, cl820
3. Copy of the Oxenber pasture case & Judge's opinion. 1875
4. Transcript of 1627 indenture between John Ingleby & 39 tenants. cl830
5. Indenture for transfer of properties in Clapham, Elizabeth to Charles Ingleby. 1819
6. Charles Ingleby, deed of Revocation for use of properties in Clapham. 1754
7. Original award for division of Bullet Mire, Austwick, with map and transcript. 1782
8. Indenture for sale of Grainger Croft, Clapham to Stephen Walker, Austwick. 1636
9. Granting of quit-rents to tenants in Clapham by Thomas Northcliffe. 1735
10. Plan of enclosure of Cleatop Ings, Settle, inc. 34 pay't notes for walling. 1824-26
11. Record Books of payments of parish dues of Giggleswick
etc.
Two originals and three transcripts. 1732-1846
12. Last will and testament of Ann Ingleby of Austwick. 1819
13. Documents relating to ex. monastic land and property at Langcliffe (in Latin). 1631
14. 'Berry, the ex-hangman', poster for entertainment at Victoria Hall, Settle. 1894
15. Transcript of the Austwick Manor Court Book of 1693-1783, with detailed index. cl820
16. Original Austwick Manor Court Book, with index. 1787-1839
Much discussion took place as to the final destination of these items. It was finally agreed that items 1-13 should be given to the West Yorkshire Archive Service at Wakefield. Item No. 14 was presented to the Victoria Hall in Settle and can be seen there on display, and it was felt that items Nos. 15 & 16 should be given to the Record Office at Northallerton.
All the items have been either photo-copied or scanned into a computer system, and in due course, with the assistance of Phil Hudson, copies of the items will be available on computer discs. As far as Items Nos. 15 & 16 are concerned, we have photocopied and reduced the pages to A4 size and have an inspection copy held within the Trust's archives. Naturally any member wishing to inspect either Manor Court book can readily do so.
Unfortunately most of North Yorkshire's historical records are held in many different places, but the distribution of the above items we believe fits in with the material held at both Wakefield and Northallerton. By purchasing these items we feel that the Trust has made a positive and practical approach to ensure that records of our area have been retained for posterity.
